Yarn feeder and clamp and cutter for knitting machine



Nov. 29, 1960 F. c. WIESINGER 7 2,951,858

YARN FEEDER AND CLAMP AND CUTTER FOR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 17, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. FREDERICK C. Wnzsmezn A TTORNE Y Nov. 29, 1960 F. WIESINGER 2,951,853

YARN FEEDER AND CLAMP AND CUTTER FOR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 17, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W .2 IE. 7 FrazoamcK fi figzR JIE. 5 I WM? A TTORNE Y United States Patent YARN FEEDER AND CLAMP AND CUTTER FOR KNITTING MACHINE Frederick C. Wiesinger, Feasterville, Pa., assignor to Wildman Jacquard C0., Norristown, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Dec. 17, 1956, Ser. No. 628,792

4 Claims. (Cl. 66-140) of use at each or any feeding station of a knitting machine and which shall be simple, compact, dependable and easily operated to pass through its cycle in feeding or withdrawing a yarn to or from the needles of the machine. A further object is that of devising such means in which all control is derived from cams individual to the unit which are rotated by a star wheel acting to effect two closely spaced movements for each half of a complete change cycle.

A further object is that of providing such mechanism mounted in its entirety on a bracket by which it may be easily attached to or detached from a machine.

It is a further object of the invention to devise mecha nism of the type described in which the timing of the yarn change functions shall be very accurately controlled and in which the certainty of precise carrying out of these functions is assured.

Other objects will become apparent from the following disclosure.

In knitting machines, especially those of multifeed type, it is customary to feed a yarn to the needles for a ice Fig. 2 is a similar view showing only a part of the de vice, but in feeding rather than non-feeding position.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a star wheel and striker employed.

Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the clamp and cutter parts.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of part of the device as seen from the opposite side.

Figs. 6 and 7 are plan views of cams employed.

Fig. 8 is an elevation showing a yarn guide plate through which the feeding yarn is passed as it is drawn by the needles.

Now referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the invention is applied to a knitting machine having a needle cylinder 10, a dial 11, a dial cap 12 and a carrier ring 13. Dial needles 14 and other similar needles 14' for the cylinder are controlled by cams and pattern means of any suitable type, for example, that of US. Patent 2,082,127.

The yarn feeding unit is supported to depend from a single support means or bracket 15 and is comprised as a body 16 detachably fixed to the pad 17 of the bracket and certain mechanism attached to this body member.

A yarn finger 18 is pivoted at 19 and is drawn out to the non-feeding position by a spring 20. The pivot is fixed in a plate or cover 21 which is screwed to the reverse side 7 of the body, Figs. 1 and 5. Spring 20 is anchored to a hook formed as a part of a yarn guide eye holder 22 period of time and then to withdraw it at which time it is to be severed and its end held in a clamp or binder from which it may be released when it is again introduced to the needles. These changes are effected very rapidly and must be accomplished with certainty and precision if the fabric knitted is to have no imperfections at the points where changes are made. A yarn changer of this type may be used in various situations, one of which is evident in the knitting of interlock fabrics.

According to the invention, a unit is provided for bolting to a part of the machine, for example, the yarn changer ring. It depends in such position as to feed to the needles through a yarn guide plate and holds the cut end below the feeding level so that when inserted to feeding position, the yarn cuts directly across the path of dial needles.

Control of the parts is effected through cams which are rotated by a star wheel or the like and certain linkages which move the feeding finger in and out and the cutter and clamp to and from open and closed positions. Springs or to any other fixed member.

i The clamp andcutter, generally indicated by numeral 23, is carried at the lower end of a post 24 attached to plate 21. This cutter will be described in detail in due course as will the mechanism by which it is operated.

The finger 18 may be swung to the position of Fig. 2 in which a yarn drawn from a cone or other supply will be fed through a guide aperture formed by the side wall 25, horizontal shelf 26 and hook 27 of the yarn guide plate 28, Fig. 8.

Both finger 18 and the clamp and cutter are actuated by cams 29 and 30 fastened on a short shaft 31 borne in the extended parts 32 and 33 of the body. Shaft 31 has a four armed star wheel 34 fixed at its top end by which it may be rotated at appropriate times.

These cams act on the finger and the cutter unit through plungers 35 and 36, respectively, these plungers being guided in slots in the body. Plunger 35 aligns with and acts directly upon the finger at a point adjacent the pivot, but far enough removed to give an easy action. When moved to feeding position the end of the finger clears above shelf 26 and stops just short of the side wall 25 of the yarn guide plate, Fig. 2.

The clamp and cutter 23 is shown in an exploded view, Fig. 4, in closed position, Fig. l, and opened at Fig. 2. This unit is attached to post 24 by an extension 37 which is bent to U-shapeat its lower end and so formed when struck out of sheet metal as to provide a pivot 38, a fixed cutter blade 39 and a rounded, fixed clamping member 40. A pin 41 with head 42 passes through all the movable elements of the cutter as well as pivot bearing 38. At the cutting end a movable blade 43 with arm 44 is carried on this pin, while between the U-shaped part a clamp arm 45 and arm 46 are mounted. The clamp is completed by a thin, spring steel presser 47 the angularly directed part 48 of which presses toward the fixed clamp member 40 to retain the yarn. An offset end 49 restrains yarn from sliding out of the open end of the assembly.

At the outer side of the clamp member 40 an actuating arm 58, triangular in shape, is rotatable on the pin and is spaced from pivot 38 by a thick washer 51. This arm has a pin 52 fixed in it to pass through the openings in arms 46 and 44 and the arm on 47. It is spaced by double washers 53 and a single washer 54 as shown. As the arm is swung it will also swing the blade 43 and clamp members 45 and 47 to open or close the clamp and to cut the yarn as may be required. All these parts are held in place and the blade 43 pressed into shearing engagement with the blade 39 by a spring 55 and cotter pin 56.

This cutter actuating arm 50 is controlled from cam 30 and plunger 36 through an arm 57 and a link 58, Fig. 5. This arm is pivoted at 59 on side plate 21 and has a lug 60 projecting into the pathway of a lateral extension 61 from plunger 36. This extension projects through a slot 62 in plate 21. Link 58 connects at 63 to arm 57 and at its lower end to a pin 64 fixed at the top of arm 50. A cotter pin 65 completes the assembly.

Since cam 30 acts only to open the cutter and clamp, a spring 66 of constant tension type or equivalent is connected to the link 58 at 67 and to an anchor pin 68 in a fixed part of the device. This spring is sufiicient to close the blades when plunger 36 is released by the cam.

Star wheel 34 has the usual click or other spring pressed stop to lock it temporarily in each of its four positions. It is engaged by a striker 69 having two spaced lugs 70 and 71, Fig. 3. Assuming a rotary cam cylinder machine, the striker is, in effect, stationary except for the fact it may be raised and lowered by a suitable selector means to actuate the star wheel when required.

Referring to Fig. 6, the cam 30 has a hub 72 by which it is keyed to shaft 31 and a lobe divided into two sectors, the first at 73 being one to push the plunger 36 in to open the clamp and cutter. The second and concentric sector 74 of about 65 extent holds these parts opened until the feeding finger is withdrawn whereupon after time enough is given for the yarn to enter the clamp the plunger Slips from this sector and spring 66 closes it to sever and hold the end.

Cam 29 has a hub 75 and then two sectors in which the cam affects the yarn finger to press it to feeding position with a dwell between the sectors. This divides the motion between two star wheel moves making the cam less steep than would otherwise be the case. Selector 76 affects the finger to move it part way to feeding position on what would otherwise be an idle move. After dwell 77 a second rise 78 at the cam moves the finger completely to feeding position. A long concentric sector 79 holds the parts in feeding position until at point 80 the plunger drops and spring 20 returns the finger to withdraw the yarn.

Of course, these separate functions occur in a properly timed sequence so that the finger movements are coordinated with those of the clamp and cutters. At each pass of the star wheel by striker 69 lug 70 imparts a 90 motion to it and its cams and immediately after the lug 71 does likewise.

Assuming the parts in feeding position with the yarn held in the clamp, a first motion of the star wheel will move the cams 90 from a position where the plungers rest at the top dwell positions, Figs. 6 and 7; the fingers will be moved to feeding position, Fig. 2, by cam sector 78. The clamp still holds the yarn until the needles have started to knit it, but the space between lugs 70 and 71 is sufficient for that and thus the second move of 90 follows rapidly whereupon the sector 73 of the cutter cam opens that device. The end is freed and the parts continue in that position so long as the yarn is to be fed and knitted. Of course, it is to be understood that striker 69 is Withdrawn from the range of the star wheel at that time.

When again moved to engage the star wheel, two more turns closely spaced in point of time are effected. The first brings point 80 past its plunger to release the feeding finger so the yarn is withdrawn from the needles. It

passes into the open clamp and cutter being assisted by the guide 81 whereupon the clamp and cutter close. The clamp precedes the cutter slightly so the end may not be lost.

The yarn finger is Withdrawn about 30 in advance of the closing of the cutter and all on the same star wheel move. This has been found to work well in one particular installation, but it is to be understood that the angles given here by way of example may be varied depending upon the characteristics of the machine to which the device is applied, the material knitted and other factors. The second move of this pair is more or less an idle one to make the cycle come out even. However, the cam at 76 does affect the finger 18 as above described.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to be understood that the inventive concept may be carried out in a number of ways. This invention is, therefore, not to be limited to the precise details described, but is intended to embrace all variations and modifications thereof falling within the spir t of the invention and the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In combination in a knitting machine of the type described, a stationary needle cylinder and independently actuated needles operable therein, a yarn feeding finger and a clamp and cutter for severing and holding an end of yarn fed by said finger positioned closely adjacent said needles and cylinder, and means for actuating said finger and clamp and cutter to introduce the yarn to needles of the knitting machine, to withdraw it therefrom and to open and close the clamp and cutter as required to release and to cut and bind the yarn which comprises a single support means in which said yarn feeding finger and clamp and cutter are mounted, a cam shaft borne in said support means at the outermost part thereof away from said needle cylinder, a four-armed star wheel and a pair of cams, both said star wheel and cams being fixed to said shaft, means to impart motion from one of said cams to said finger and from the other of said cams to said clamp and cutter, and means fixedly mounted independently of said cylinder for imparting selectively to the star wheel two closely spaced movements at each yarn changing function.

2. Mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said cams are so formed as to press the finger to feeding position and to open the clamp and cutter, and separate resilient means is further provided to move each of said finger and said clamp and cutter in the reverse direction.

3. Mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for affecting the star wheel comprises a striker with two lobes, each of which imparts a quarter turn to the wheel and cams, the second quarter turn of which is spaced a brief interval of time from the first.

4. Mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said knitting machine includes in the combination a dial and dial needles and the cam shaft and means to impart motion from the cams are operatively mounted within a body member to which the yarn finger is pivoted and from which the clamp and cutter depend in position to maintain a yarn in position to be interposed in the path of dial needles when the finger is moved to feeding position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,255,125 Ballard Feb. 5, 1918 1,689,681 Pigeon Oct. 30, 1928 1,955,594 Milner et a1. Apr. 17, 1934 2,059,076 Aaronson Oct. 27, 1936 2,067,805 Towers Jan. 12, 1937 2,720,092 Oberholtzer Oct. 11, 1955 

